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Taras Shevchenko

Encyclopedia of the life and works

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Peasant family

Taras Shevchenko. Peasant family

Taras Shevchenko. Peasant family. Oil on canvas (60 × 72,5 cm). [Not before May 1843]. Taras Shevchenko National Museum USSR, inv. zh–109.

The catalog Republican jubilee exhibition Shevchenko noted that it was the signature of the author below: Shevch… (Catalogue, p. 36, № 174). Obviously, during the restoration signature has been corrupted, and now its presence can not be established.

In a review of publication, dedicated to T.H. Shevchenko, M.V. Shugurov says:

"…We happened to see another picture of Shevchenko, painted in oils: it depicts the Little Russians, sitting at the hut on the socle. Above this picture is owned by S.S. Gulak-Artemovsky, from which proceeded to M.M. Lazarevsky, and now it is owned by his niece, Mrs. O. F. Lazarevska (in the village Pobivanka, Hadiach County)» [Kievan Antiquity, K., 1893, June, p. 535].

September 22, 1845 in the letter I. V. Hudovsky to Shevchenko noted: "Ezuchevsky and Galuza bow down to you. The picture is not drawn" ["Ukraine", 1925, Vol. I – II, p. 83 – 84].

About this same picture in a letter to Shevchenko on 17 January, 1857 M. M. Lazarevsky wrote: "The picture is yours, what you've done once for Ezuchevsky, I went to the lottery" [Kievan Antiquity, K., 1901, February, p. 286].

Shevchenko himself said to an M. M. Lazarevsky April 22, 1857: "What is there my picture was in Ezuchevsky, wee 'm not sure. Played, say, in lottery, and it became yours".

Since it is known that, except for "Peasant family", M. M. Lazarevsky had no other oil paintings of Shevchenko, there is reason to believe that the review comes to painting "Peasant family".

Therefore, evidence of ownership of the paintings S.S. Gulak–Artemovsky is questionable.

Sketches to this paintings were in album 1839 – 1843 (№ 164, 188, 197, 199), which are the basis for dating.

A.P. Novitsky called this picture "The family scene near the house" [A. Novitsky, Shevchenko, K., 1930, Table. XVI].

Storage areas: property of V.A. Ezuchevsky, M. M. Lazarevsky, F. M. Lazarevsky, A.F. Lazarevska, M.I. Yanzhul, Ukrainian Historical Museum (Kyiv), gallery of paintings by Taras Shevchenko, Kharkiv, Kyiv State Museum of Ukrainian Art, Central Museum of Taras Shevchenko (Kyiv).

In 1939 exhibited at the Republican Shevchenko's anniversary exhibition in Kiev (catalog, № 174), 1951 – the exhibition Art of the Ukrainian SSR in Moscow (catalog, p. 104).

L.I. Vnuchkova

After publication: Taras Shevchenko Complete works in 10 volumes. – Kyiv: ed. Academy of sciences of UkrSSR, 1961, Vol. 7, part 1, № 75 (picture), p. 29 – 30 (note).

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